Just a Stone's Throw Away
by Wijida
Summary: Could possibly accompany my other fic, "Fling Forward and Checkmate". This fic taking place during novel #10, "A Rock and A Hard Place". Deanna Troi's thoughts /do/ dwell on Quintin Stone...


**Disclaimer**: Star Trek: The Next Generation belongs to Gene Roddenberry, Paramount…everyone there, other than myself. J I thank them all for their creativity, which has given me plenty to do.

Just A Stone's Throw Away

By Manda

            Without even intending to, Troi found the man intriguing. Quintin Stone, with his oxymoron personality of complex simplicity and solemn turmoil. He was the sort of man she would have imagined studying in her psychology classes at the Academy. She would have enjoyed it, although there was one factor that rose blantantly in her thoughts.

                She hadn't studyed anything of the kind- because unbeknownst to Starfleet, such a man did not exist. And much to their dismay, what they had not known quickly became one obstacle which indeed did hurt them. Although Stone did not _intend_ harm in any way, of that she was certain. He very well might have meant to cause injury, as the object of some twisted hidden desire to deflate Starfleet- but of that, Troi wasn't clear.

                As she mused over this fact, her spoon idled in the dish of mocha chocolate chip ice cream, which sat on the table before her, chips just beginning to melt into the sea of thick syrup.

                "A penny for your thoughts."

                She blinked, and found herself staring up into Guinan's wise, questing gaze. The bartender wore her usual sort of attire- a flowing burgundy caftan, closely resembling a nebula which wound its way around the broad, almost Starship-like hat which sat jauntily apon her head. Difficult to miss, certainly when right in front of you, and Deanna Troi sharply chastised herself, suddenly the slightest bit miffed that she indeed _hadn't_ seen it.

                "I'm sorry, Guinan." Her smile was soft and sly, spreading easily over her lips. "My thoughts aren't for sale."

                "Are you sure?" The counselor nodded, dipping and stirring her spoon thoughtfully into the thick concoction housed within the molded glass walls of her desert bowl.

                "Well, then- maybe all you were was a stone's throw away." The spoon fell to dispel a gentle slosh of rich brown chocolate onto the tabletop, and Guinan artfully produced a rag with which to dispose of it, while Troi attempted to gather her wits about her. The flush in her cheeks and sudden parting of lips told Guinan that, yes, Troi may have been a stone's throw away, but it was that stone needed to shatter the counselor's daydreaming state.

                "My thoughts did _not_ dwell on Commander Stone."

                "Oh, I didn't say they were with him," The hostess replied smoothly. "Would they be?"

                "Of course not," Troi's reaction was uncharacteristic, certainly. Stone's presence _had _been causing a great deal of turmoil as of late- as of _always_, since the moment he'd set foot on board- and at that moment Deanna was more than certain that only that brand of turmoil could be behind the sudden shift in her empathic and emotional balance. Stone, again. And _again._

                There _was_ an old Earth saying that fit into this. 

                "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

                "All the more reason," Guinan's smooth voice startled her, and she realized then that she had indeed spoken aloud. "Don't try to throw him off balance, Deanna.  Not if you want to keep from breaking that glass house." 

                The wings of burgundy were lifting Guinan away before Troi could quite react, leaving the ship's counselor off-kilter and musing. Her glass house of psyche and balance was possibly on the verge of collapse, and if Guinan were correct, any attempts she made to wriggle her way into Stone's own psyche could be met with a force she knew she couldn't reckon with. Not until she were more knowledgeable of her adversary.

                Troi pushed away the spoiled treat in front of her, rising from her seat and brushing hair from her shoulders in a final satisfaction. She knew what she had to do- knew what was the next move, following the Opening Gambit.

                Stone would find that she was a formidable opponent, indeed.

  ----More shall follow! Soon!----


End file.
